It
was with great sadness that islanders heard of the death of Isabella Buchanan
after a short spell in hospital. Nurse Buchanan, as she was always known, was
not just the oldest islander but also a great character whose energy and
enjoyment of every aspect of life was inspiring. Isabel (as she was always
known) took up her nursing post in Lismore in 1941 in the days before there was
any doctor let alone a medical infrastructure and worked tirelessly with very
little in the way of breaks until she retired in 1981. She married the late Hugh
Buchanan in 1942 and had 2 children, Bessie who lives in Lismore and Duncan in
South Australia, as well as 7 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren and one
great great grandchild. She was famous for her love of snooker and in 1993 she
travelled to London to appear on GMTV’s “This Morning” after one of her
granddaughters wrote so persuasively to them that they invited her to appear on
TV with Fern Britten and Philip Schofield and to meet veteran snooker
commentator John Virgo. He then invited her to spend 2 nights in Preston as a
guest of honour at the snooker final.

Isabella will be fondly remembered and greatly missed. Above she is shown with
her great great grandson Matthew.

The service

Bill Harvey conducted
the service on 28 May in the Lismore Parish Church and has kindly provided this
transcript for those who could not be there.

"On behalf of the family I would like to give thanks for your
support for them today. Following the committal at the cemetery you are invited
to join the family at Bessie’s house for refreshments. There will be a retiring
offering for the Lismore Medical Fund.

We come to give thanks and celebrate today the life of witness
and service of Nurse Buchanan, the much loved Isabel.

Let us Sing Psalm 23 - The Lord'is My shepherd

Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted. The
eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Let us pray.

Father in heaven we come to give thanks for the life, witness and
service to you of Nurse Isabel Buchanan. We give thanks for a life lived to the
full right up to the end. We remember her work at the Carron Works in Falkirk as
she waited to start nursing training. We give thanks for the skill that you gave
her as a nurse. We remember how she was alongside those in the Island and area
in exemplary nursing service. We give thanks for her quiet faith and witness to
you her God. We give thanks for her gift and how she served you, O Lord, as
organist in this Church for 23 years and organiser of the flower list. We
remember her as she participated in the Guild, Red Cross, WRI, Drama and Lunch
Club and so much more. We remember a woman who thought of others needs first who
gave others an inspiration and example of how to live life. We give you thanks
for the inspiration you gave her to start the Bean Bag Stretcher Fund which grew
into the Lismore Medical Fund.

We remember the family which meant so much to her and was centre
of her life. We remember her reunited with her beloved husband Hugh and sister
Jean and brother Bill. We give thanks for the family - brother John; son Duncan
married to Mary with family May and Michael with Aidan, Connal, Aislinn; David;
Allan and Andrea with Leah May, John Duncan; Julie and Brett with Finn, daughter
Bessie with family Linda with Heather Andrew; Louise and Steve with Leigh,
Samantha with Matthew, Gerry and Paula with Gerry and Alexander and all the
extended family.

We ask, O Father in heaven, that we could be led and inspired by
the life of service that Isabel led.

Eternal God, our heavenly Father, who lovest us with an
everlasting love, and canst turn the shadow of death into morning; help us now
wait upon Thee with reverent and submissive hearts. In the silence of this hour
speak of eternal things, that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we
may have hope, and be lifted above our darkness and distress into the light and
peace of Thy presence; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Psalm 138: 1 - 3 (Remembering Isabel’s life and service)

I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart: before the “gods” I will sing your
praise. I will bow down towards your holy temple and will praise your name for
your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name
and your word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and
stout-hearted.

John 14: 1-6 & 27 (Words of comfort and promise from Jesus)

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also
in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye
may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto
him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be
afraid.

1 Peter 4: 8-11 (Remembering the inspiration Isabel passes on)

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever
gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administrating God’s grace in
it’s various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very
words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides,
so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the
glory and power for ever and ever. Amen

The Lord bless to us the reading of His holy word, and to His
name be glory and praise. Amen.

Nurse Isabel Buchanan

Isabella Waugh was born in Carron Shore Falkirk 15th
July 1914 and died aged 93. Called Isabella or Bella but she preferred to be
known as Isabel.

Leaving school at 14 she worked at the Carron Works making
filaments for electric fires. Isabel started her extensive training as a nurse
and midwife in the thirties and forties with placements at the Royal Hospital
for Sick Children Glasgow, Perth Royal Infirmary and the Royal Infirmary of
Edinburgh School of Midwifery. Isabel liked to keep up to date and her refresher
training went on well into the sixties including training in Madrid and New
York. Isabel being Isabel never used her letters after her name or made anything
of her being a Queen's Nurse she was simply Nurse Buchanan which she was
affectionately known as right up to her death. Even during her last short spell
in hospital she was still the nurse telling the nurses she did not need
paracetamol. She became nurse and midwife on Lismore also serving in Appin. Her
first baby delivered in the area, she proudly reminded folk, was Gregor
MacCormick. Isabel started the Bean Bag Stretcher Fund – these were stretchers
that could be used to carry people out of awkward places. This Fund grew into
the Lismore Medical Fund supplying much needed medical equipment and which our
retiring offering will go to today.

Isabel is survived by her brother John, her brother Bill and
sister Jean having passed on. She met Hugh Buchanan from Lismore and was married
in Larbert Parish Church on 17 December 1942, Hugh died on 14 December 1998.
Isabel’s
son Duncan and family are in Australia and New Zealand and we especially
remember them today knowing that their hearts are very much with us today.
Duncan is married to Mary with family May and Michael with Aidan, Connal,
Aislinn; David; Allan and Andrea with Leah May, John Duncan all in Australia;
Julie and Brett with Finn who are in New Zealand. Isabel’s daughter Bessie with
family Linda with Heather Andrew; Louise and Steve with Leigh, Samantha with
Matthew, Gerry and Paula with Gerry and Alexander and all the extended family.
Anyone who visited Isabel in her house would know how she loved all the family
as she would proudly showed all the family pictures around the house.

In all the she did Isabel was sustained by a quiet faith
faithfully serving her God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Kirk Session minutes record
that she played the organ in this Church for 23 years till 1966. Her service in
the Church included the Guild and doing the Flower List for the Church for many
years. Other activities were Red Cross, WRI, Drama Club and of course the Lunch
Club which she went over to in the Ferry.

When bringing together the thoughts about Isabel I was very aware
of her almost looking down saying and reminding me “Make it short Bill”,
reminding me of the last Sunday when I saw her in hospital with that wonderful
smile on her face that she always had.

Isabel can be an inspiration not only family but to all who knew
her. She was generous, positive person with a great sense of humour who lived a
positive, rich and full life. All of us gathered here today lives have been
enriched with the privilege of knowing Isabel an example to all.

In the silence of the next few moments remind those gathered here
of cherished memories of Isabel.

We beseech, Almighty God, that we inspired by those gone before,
may run with patience the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and
finisher of our faith; so that when this mortal life is ended, we may be
gathered with those whom we have loved, into the kingdom of Thy glory, where
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow or crying, neither shall there be
any more pain, for the former things are passed away; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.

Thanks from the family to Isabel

Thank you for kindness

and showing that you care

but most of all I want to say

thanks so much for being there.

Thanks from the family to all of you. A special thanks to Dr Ian,
Dr Denise, Dr Mary, Nurse Mairi, Nurse Fiona, the surgery staff, Oban Hospital
doctors and nurses and staff. To Iris, Janette, Pete and Fay. To ferryman Allan,
Donald, Duncan, Charlie. To all friends in Appin and Port Appin. Geoff and Anne
White, Chrissie Malone, Jack Reynolds.

Hymn 555 Amazing grace! how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!

Benediction.

The Lord bless you and keep you: the Lord make his face to shine
upon you, and be gracious unto you: the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace. Amen.